Sensorless motor drivers reduce board space

The DRV10866 and DRV11873 three-phase, brushless dc (BLDC) motor drivers allow designers to spin motors in minutes rather than months. The sensorless 5-V, 680-mA DRV10866 and the 12-V, 1.5-A DRV11873 cut component count to one device with no firmware required, reducing board space and system costs. The devices also provide the lowest operating voltage and standby current to reduce power consumption by up to 75%.

The motor drivers eliminate the need for external gate drivers, inverters, position detection and feedback, along with a microcontroller (MCU) and firmware. The drivers feature an operating voltage range from 1.65 to 5.5 V and a quiescent current of 5 uA. The drivers can be combined with MCUs such as the MSP430 for designs that need a user interface and closed-loop speed control. The devices also provide over-current, over-temperature, shoot-through and under-voltage lock-out protection. (ea/1,000: DRV10866 in a3- x 3-mm SON package, $0.39; DRV11873 in a 16-pin TSSOP, $0.89 – available now.)